Vacuum container

ABSTRACT

A pressure sealed container including a container body having an open end bounded by a peripheral lip. A lid having a peripheral portion overlying the lip is sealingly retained thereon by the atmospheric pressure forces. Pull tab means attached to the lid and arranged to vent the container serves to facilitate the removal of the lid.

[ Nov. 13, 1973 3,338,463 8/1967 Henrickson...........................220/48 1,955,610

[ 1 VACUUM CONTAINER 4/1934 Seipt 220/42 B Inventors: Henry E. Frankenberg, Hinsdale; Harry A. Peyser, Olympia Fields, both of 111.

Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Fred P. Kostka et al.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, NY.

Oct. 18, 1971 ABSTRACT [22] Filed:

[21] Appl' 190,029 A pressure sealed container including a container body having an open end bounded by a peripheral lip. A lid having a peripheral portion overlying the lip is sealingly retained thereon by the atmospheric pressure [52] US. 220/44 R, 220/47, 220/60 R [51] Int. B6501 51/16 220/47, 42 B, 53,

forces. Pull tab means attached to the lid and arranged [58] Field of Search......................

to vent the container serves to facilitate the removal of the lid.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures 3,371,811 McKnight............................. 215/56 PATENTED NM 13 I973 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR. I HA RR A FLU/5 if? HENRY .E. FRANKENBERG PATENTEDNUHSIQIS 3.771.688

INVENTOR.

HA RAVA. PA'ZVSER HENRY E. FPA N'KENBERG VACUUM CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to .a new. and improved vacuum packed container and closure therefor.

Vacuum containers of the type to which the present invention relates are packed with a product maintained under a vacuum. An end closure is seated over one end of the product and held in place by the pressure forces created by the atmospheric pressure acting on the exterior surface of the end. I

SUMMARY, OF THE INVENTION By the present invention it is proposed to provide a new and improved structure for retaining the end closure. of a vacuum packed container seated on the container body and new and improved arrangements for removing the end closure.

The container of the present invention comprises generally a container body having a closed end and an open end that is bounded by an annular lip. Snuggly seated over the opening is a lid which is provided with an annular peripheral portion or flange shaped to overlie the lip. A sealing gasket is disposed between the container lip and the lid flange.

Different types of opening means may be provided to remove the end closure from the container. In one general type, the opening of the container is accomplished by incorporating a vent opening in the lid and attaching a releasably adherent tape in sealing relationship over the opening. The tape is attached so as to remain adhered to the lid after separation from overlying relationship with the vent opening. The lid is easily removed because the vent opening allows the air to enter the vacuum packed container whereby pressure in the interior and exterior is equalized. Thus the tape need only have a bonding force capable of lifting the weight of the lid.

In another form of opening device, a tab is integrally the container with the position of the pull tab for opening the lid illustrated in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the upper end of the container showing a modified lid enclosing the open end of the body.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the lid partially opened;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another embodiment of container incorporating the structure of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the lid in a partially open position;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the center of a container showing still a further embodiment of a means for opening the container; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the center of the container of another embodiment of container structure incorporating the principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS r and 2, there is shown a container 10 embodying the formed on the lid and arranged so as to be capable of applying apulling force when grasped by the fingers.

In still another form, a separate pull tab is formed so as to be disposed and clamped between thecontainer lip and the lid flange. The tab includes an accessible finger grip portion overlying the lid. The lid is removed by grasping finger grip so that. the portion of the pull tab clamped between the container lip and lid flange is lifted thereby to break the seal so that the internal pressure may be equalized with the external atmospheric pressure. The lid may then be removed with a minimum of force.

In a further form of the invention, the lid is formed with a score located radially inwardlyto the container lip. A pull tab in the form of a lever is fastened to the lid and includes a rigid nose which upon tilting of the tab severs to puncture the weakening line thereby venting the container to atmosphere. The lid is then easily removed by lifting the lid with the tab.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 and showing the lid sealed on structure of the present invention. The container 10 includes a body 11 having an open end 12 which is covered by an end closure or lid 13. A pull tab 14 is secured to the lid 13 for removing the same from the body 11.

The body 11 may be made from any suitable material as for example, a metal such as aluminum, steel, etc. If made from aluminum, as shown, the body 11 may be shaped as by drawing or extrusion to form the body with an integral end 15 opposite to the open end 12.

The open end 12 is bounded by an annular lip 16 extending integrally from the body 11. As shown, the lip 16 may be inclined downwardly slightly from the horizontal and include a radiused portion 17 at the juncture with the side wall of the body 11.

An upstanding rim 18 projects upwardly from the lip 16 and terminates in a curl 19. The rim l8 and curl 19 serves to provide an abuse resistant end to protectthe lip 16 from distortion when the container is dropped.

The lid 13 includes a peripheral portion or flange 21 which may be inclined downwardly so as to overlie the lip 16. To provide a seal between the lip 16 and flange ,21, a gasket 22 is disposed beneath the flange 21 so as to be compressed on the lip 16 when the lid 13 is seated thereon.

The gasket 22 may be a plastisol or the like which is applied and adhered to the underside of the lid 13 so as to be removable therewith. The plastisol is preferably of a compressible type and which is non-adherent to the lip 16.

The lid 13 is applied after the product has been filled into the container under a vacuum so that the pressure forces acting on the exterior face of the lid are operative to force the plastisol gasket 22 into firm sealing engagement with the lip 16.

' Adhered to the upper or exterior surface of the lid 13 is the pull'tab 14, which in the form shown is a pressure sensitive tape seal that is strippable therefrom upon the application of a pulling force. To this end, an end por tion 23 of the tape seal 14 is reversely hemmed so as to be separated from the exterior face of the lid and thereby provide a gripping portion which is non-' adhered to the lid face. The tape seal 14 overlies an opening 24 formed in the lid 13. Upon stripping or separation of the tape seal from the container end, the opening 24 provides a vent to admit air into the container so that the pressure forces on the exterior and interior faces of the lid 13 are equalized. When the pressure is equalized, the lid is loosely held on the end so that the tape seal 14 remains adhered to the lid 13 whereby the latter is removable from the open end 12 upon the application of a minimum upward pulling force. In this connection, it is to be noted that the gasket offers little, if any, resistance to separation from the lip 16 because of the non-adherent characteristics of the gasket material thereto.

It should be observed that the upstanding rim l8 and bead 19 extend and project above the mating surfaces of the flange 21 and lip 16. The rim 18 and bead 19 provides a somewhat rigid protective boundary which acts as a shock absorber and also tends to strengthen the lip 16 to prevent distortion thereof upon being subjected to impact. This is of significance because the lid 13 is maintained in sealing engagement on the open end of the container by the means of the atmospheric pressure forces. Thus, it is important that no distortion occurs between the lip 16 and mating flange 21 to break the seal and permit air leakage into the interior of the container whereby the lid may drop off.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown anotherembodiment of a container .100 having a body 110 and a lid 114 formed with a central recessed or counter-sunk panel. 115. The panel 115 is bounded by a peripheral upstanding wall 116 from which a flange 122 projects. The upstanding wall 116 may be formed with an outwardly projecting bead means 117 adjacent the juncture with panel and 115 which seats within complementary bead means 118 formed on the side wall of the container body 110. The bead means 117 which may be either continuous or angularly spaced, coacts with the bead means 118 in the container body 1 10 so as to be releasably locked and assist in the retention of the lid 114 on the open end 112.

The lid 1 14 includes the flange 122 which is doubled back or reversely folded so as to provide a substantially rigid structure. The flange 122 overlies a lip 120 and has a gasket 121 adhered to the undersidesimilar to the gasket described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The lid 114 is applied on the container body under vacuum so that the pressure forces on the exterior are primarily relied upon to retain the lid secured.

The lid 114 is removed by inserting a prying tool T as shown in FIG. 4 which engages beneath the underside of the flange 122 so that the lid 114 is forced upwardly against the force of the atmospheric pressure. As the container lid 114 is lifted, the container body 110 is vented to atmosphere so that the pressure forces on the interior equalizes with the pressure forces on the exterior whereby the removal of the lid 114 is facilitated.

Referring now to FIGS. and 6, there is shown another means for facilitating the removal of a lid 114 similar to the lid 114 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and having an upstanding wall 116a devoid of protuberances. An upstanding wall 118 extends from the lip 120 and terminates in a curl 123. A pull tab 124 is integrally connected to the overlying or reversely folded annular flange 122 on the lid 114a. In its normal non-use position when the lid 114a is applied during packaging of the product, the pull tab 124 is disposed substantially horizontal and below the curl 123 on the rim of the container as shown in FIG. 5. The pull tab 124 has a finger grip portion 125 that is tilted upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 6 whereupon a pulling force may be applied so as to apply a force sufficient to overcome the pressure force acting on the exterior to separate the lid 114 from the lip 120. After the container is vented the lid 114 is easily separated from the container body 1 1.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown another embodiment for removing a lid 224 from a container body 211. The lid 224 may include a counter sink panel 215, an upstanding wall 216, and a flange 222 overlying an annular lip 220 about the open end of the body 211. The flange 222 may be reversely folded, as shown. A score line 230 is formed in the panel 215 of the lid 214 radially inwardly from the wall 216. Fixed to the panel 215 for tilting movement relative thereto is a pull tab 231. The pull tab 231 has an opening 232 which accommodates a rivet 233 integrally formed from the panel 215. A nose 234 on one endof the pull tab 231 is located adjacent the score line 230 on the opposite end from a finger grip 236. The finger grip 236 may be provided with a finger opening for accommodating the finger of the user.

To open or vent the container to equalize the pressure forces, the pull tab 231 is tilted upwardly from the full line position shown in FIG. 8 to the phantom line position, whereupon the score line 230 is severed to provide a vent opening. The vent opening serves to perrnit the inward flow of air so that the pressure force in theinterior is equal to the exterior. After the forces are equalized, further upward pulling on the pull tab 231 causes a separation of the lid 214 from the container opening so that the contents of the container may be emptied.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown still another embodiment of opening arrangement in which a plastic pull tab 331 is inserted between the underside of flange 222 and the lip 220 as shown. The plastic pull tab 331 is formed as a strap terminating in an enlarged end 332 which projects into the container body, while the adjacent portion of the strap 331 is compressed between the lip 220 and the peripheral lid flange 222. The plastisol sealing gasket may be adhered along the remainder of the lip as in the prior embodiments. The pull tab 331 includes a finger grip portion extending radially inwardly from the peripheral flange 220. The strap portion is gripped and pulled vertically so as the peripheral flange 222 is caused to be separated from the container lip 220 whereupon the users finger or another instrument may be accommodated in the gap between the lip 220 and flange 222 so as to remove the lid from the opening.

FIG. 10 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention wherein a lid 414 includes a panel portion 415, an upstanding peripheral wall 417 from which there extends a peripheral flange 422 inclined at substantially the same angle as a lip 416. Projecting upwardly from the flange 422 is an upstanding lid wall 419 which snuggly engages the bounding container wall 420. The upstanding lid wall 419 terminates in an outward curl 423. The outward curl is spaced above an outward curl 424 on the bounding wall 420. The lid 414 is separated from the container body by applying a prying tool between the curls 423 and 424'.

What is claimed is:

1 A vacuum packed container comprising a can body having an open end, a peripheral lip bounding said open end, and a lid including a peripheral portion overlying said lip, and pull tab means on said lid for removing said lid from sealing engagement with said lip, said pull tab means including a flexible strap having an enlarged end disposed in said can body and a portion of said strap clamped between said lip and said lid so as to be operative to vent said container and substantially equalize the interior and exterior pressure forces on said lid upon lifting of said strap thereby to facilitate the removal of said lid from said container.

2. A vacuum packed container comprising a can body having an open end, a peripheral lip projecting from and bounding said open end, a flange integral with and projecting upwardly from said lip and terminating in a curl, a lid having a peripheral flange overlying said lip and being subject to the force of atmospheric pressure to maintain said lid in sealing engagement with said lip, vent means for venting said can body to atmosphere, said vent means including pull tab means for providing a vent opening when a generally upwardly directed force is applied thereto for separating the lid from the can body. 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said vent means includes an opening in said lid, and said pull tab means is a pressure sensitive tape overlying said opening and being displaceable from said overlying position upon the application of said upward force whereby said lid is removable from said can body upon a further upward force on said tape.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said venting means comprises a weakening line in said lid, and wherein said pull tab means comprises a substantially rigid member having a nose for severing said weakening line.

5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said lid includes gasket means adhered to the underside thereof.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said pull tab means comprises a tab integral with said peripheral flange overlying said lip.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said integral tab extends inwardly from said peripheral portion overlying said lid.

8. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said lid includes weakening line means and wherein said pull tab includes means for severing said weakening line means to vent said container to atmosphere. 

1. A vacuum packed container comprising a can body having an open end, a peripheral lip bounding said open end, and a lid including a peripheral portion overlying said lip, and pull tab means on said lid for removing said lid from sealing engagement with said lip, said pull tab means including a flexible strap having an enlarged end disposed in said can body and a portion of said strap clamped between said lip and said lid so as to be operative to vent said container and substantially equalize the interior and exterior pressure forces on said lid upon lifting of said strap thereby to facilitate the removal of said lid from said container.
 2. A vacuum packed container comprising a can body having an open end, a peripheral lip projecting from and bounding said open end, a flange integral with and projecting upwardly from said lip and terminating in a curl, a lid having a peripheral flange overlying said lip and being subject to the force of atmospheric pressure to maintain said lid in sealing engagement with said lip, vent means for venting said can body to atmosphere, said vent means including pull tab means for providing a vent opening when a generally upwardly directed force is applied thereto for separating the lid from the can body.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said vent means includes an opening in said lid, and said pull tab means is a pressure sensitive tape overlying said opening and being displaceable from said overlying position upon the application of said upward force whereby said lid is removable from said can body upon a further upward force on said tape.
 4. The invention As defined in claim 2 wherein said venting means comprises a weakening line in said lid, and wherein said pull tab means comprises a substantially rigid member having a nose for severing said weakening line.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said lid includes gasket means adhered to the underside thereof.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said pull tab means comprises a tab integral with said peripheral flange overlying said lip.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said integral tab extends inwardly from said peripheral portion overlying said lid.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said lid includes weakening line means and wherein said pull tab includes means for severing said weakening line means to vent said container to atmosphere. 